Leg and brace assembly



A. J. PORTNOY LEG AND BRACE ASSEMBLY Filed May 17, 1962 v I Sept. 10, 1963 183 a 4 9 6 5 Q H m? I m ATTORNEY i Q 3 VWWWWW FIG.

AINVENTOR AL'LEN J. PORTNOY BY FIG. 2

H i 4 I I 12 vertical thereto.

United States Patent 3,103,374 LEG AND BRACE ASSEMBLY Allen J. Portnoy, St. Louis County, Mo., assignor to Blair Displays, Inc., a corporation of Missouri Filed May 17, 1962, Ser. No. 195,546

' 3 Claims. (Cl. 287-56) My invention relates generally to the leg and corner itilkint for tables, desks, cabinets and display cases and the One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide an extremely simple, rigidized construction for a table leg and its accompanying braces which can be used in any one of numerous adaptions for tables and other forms of furniture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a leg and brace construction which can be shipped in the knocked-down condition and which can be erected with a minimum of difficulty where it is to be used, thereby making the shipping volumes smaller and keeping costs to a minimum.

Another object of my invention is to provide a table leg construction which is formed of two cooperative extrusions of metal, and a brace construction composed of two support members of wood, slotted tocooperate with the aluminum or other metal extrusions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a table leg construction which has remarkable rigidity from a small number of components which can be formed as well as erected by workman with a minimum of trainponents of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the metal extrusions of FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of an insert member; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective assembly view.

In FIGURE 1 is shown the outer extrustion 1, and the inner extrusion 2 which is shorter than the outer extrusion by the width of the left brace 3 and the right brace 4. The extrusions I prefer to make out of aluminum, although various metals and alloys are satisfactory.

The outer extrusion is made partially in the shape of an F, with a side 5 and a top 6 and a center leg 7. Fixed vertically to the center leg 7 is an L-shaped portion which is integral with the remainder of the outer extrusion. The L-shaped portion consists of a side 8, which is disposed parallel to the side 5. The side 8 has two projections, the horizontal or parallel projection 9 and the vertical projection '10.

Slidably engaged upon and mating with the outer extrusion 1 is the inner extrusion 2, which is generally in the form of an L-shape, having a base 11 and a side Together the side 5 and the top 6 of the outer extrusion 1, and the base 11 and the side 12 of the inner extrustion form a rectangular crosssection, which can be seen most clearly in FIGURE 3. However it must be remembered that FIGURE 3, being the bottom view, is a reversed view of FIGURE 1.

The inner extrusion is provided with a projection 13 vertical to the base 11 of the inner extrusion, and a projection 14 vertical to the side 12 of the inner extrusion. The projection 13 mates with the top 6 of the outer extrusion :1; similarly the projection 14 mates with the side 5 of the outer extrusion 1. The purpose of these projections 13 and 14 is to rigidize the rectangular cross-section shown in the bottom view of FIGURE 3.

In addition there is integrally disposed on the side 12 of the inner extrusion, the L-shaped projection 15 which passes around and mates with the vertical projection 10 of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion.

The left brace 3 and the right brace 4 I prefer to fabricate of wood, or plywood, although they can be made of any strong material. The left brace 3 is provided with a slot 16, designed to mate with and cooperate with the vertical projection 10 of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion 1. The right brace 4 is similarly provided with a slot 17, designed to mate with and cooperate with the parallel projection 9 of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion.

At the bottom of the FIGURE 1 is shown the leg cleat 18, consisting of a metal cleat attached to a centrally located bolt, 19, which passes through and is threadably disposed in plastic body 20. The leg cleat is designed to fit tightly in the opening shown in FIGURE 3 between The hole 21 is then drilled and tapped through the flush base ll of the inner extrusion and the side 8 of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion. A metal screw 22, shown in FIGURE 2 is then threaded into the hole 21, fixing the inner and outer extrusions firmly together.

Next the left brace 3 is inserted from above in FIG- URE 1, into the left hand side of the outer extrusion 1. The sl ot 16 mates with and engages the vertical projection 10 of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion. Then the right brace 4 is inserted also from the top in FIGURE 1, into the right hand side of the outer extrusion. The slot '17 mates with and engages the parallel projection 9 of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion. As the braces 3 and 4 are exactly as wide as the difference in lengths between the inner and the outer extrusion, it will be seen in FIGURE 2 that the upper edges of the braces 3 and 4 lie flush with the upper surface of the outer extrusion.

Each brace can be similarly engaged at its other end, which is not shown. Thus with three more table legs formed in exactly the same manner an extremely rigid table structure can be made. The top of the table can be fastened in any of the innumerable methods common in the art.

For shipping purposes, I fit the inner and the outer extrusions together and drill and tap the hole 21 and insert the metal screw 22. However the braces 3 and 4 and the legs formed of the two extrusions are packed together in the dismantled condition. It is only necessary therefor to place the braces 3 and 4 in position, with their slots engaging the projections on the extrusion 1. Display counters can be supplied with a brace at the top and another at the bottom, in which case a remarkably rigid structure is obtained. Similarly this structure is shipped in the dismantled condition, conserving shipping volumes andthus greatly lowering shipping costs.

In FIGURE 4 I show the end view of a left insert member 25, which I use in combination with the structures of FIGURES 1 and 2. The left insert member consists of an extrusion with a U-shaped portion 26 and a base 27.

The insert member 25 is shown in use in FIGURE 5. The U-shaped portion 26 of the left insert 25 is seen Patented Sept. 10, 1953 v to -fit around the vertical projection 10 of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion, while the base 27 lies adjacent and parallel to the side 8 of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion. The slot 16 in the left brace 3 is of course made slightly larger to accommodate the U- shaped portion 26. The base 27 is drilled with two holes and through these holes the screws Y28 and 29 are fastened into the left brace 3.

Similarly a right insert 30 .is shown in FIGURE 5. It is provided with a U-shaped portion.31 and a base 32. The U-shaped portion 31 lies in the slot 17 of the right brace 4, and fits around the parallel projection ,9 of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion, while the base 32 liesadjacent to and parallel to the center leg 7 of the outer extrusion ,1. The base 32 is drilled with two holes and through these holes the screws 33 and 34 are fastened to the right brace 4. It will be seen from FIGURE 5, that the base 27 serves as an extension of the side 8 of the L-sh-aped portion of the outer extrusion, whereas the base 32 serves as an extension of the center leg 7 of the outer extrusion 1. The assembly of FIGURE 5 can be used as it is, in which case a leg and brace assembly can be formed of merely the outer extrusion 1, the two brace members 3 and 4 and the left insert member and the right insert member 30.

I prefer however in most situations to complete the forming of a foursided leg by adding the inner extrusion 2 exactly as shown in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2, all of which has been described above.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, and variations may be made in my invention Without departing from the spirit of the invention, However I do not Wish the scope of the in- Vention to be limited other than by the definitions expressed in the appened claims.

What I claim is:

l. A leg and brace assembly consisting of an inner and an outer extrusion mating together to form the leg and two brace members, a left and a right, the outer extrusion being in the shape of an- F, having a side, a top and a center leg in cross-section, the center leg of the outer extrusion being provided with an integral L-shaped member, a projection on said L-shaped member on said center leg parallel to the side of the outer extrusion, a second projection on said L-shaped member on said center leg vertical to the side of the outer extrusion, the inner extrusion being L-shaped in cross-section and having a base and a side, the base of the inner extrusion disposed vertical to the top of the outer extrusion, a projection on said base of the inner extrusion slidably engaging and mating With the top of the .outer extrusion, the side of the inner extrusion disposed vertical to the side of the outer extrusion, a projection on said side of the in ner extrusion slidably engaging andrnating with the side of the outer extrusion, an L-shaped projection integral with the side of the inner extrusion passing around and engaging with the second projection on the L-shaped member on the center leg of said outer extrusion, said inner extrusion being shorter than said outer extrusion by an amount equal to the width of the braces, the left brace provided with a slot disposed to mate and engage rigidly with the second projec ion on the L-shaped member on the center leg of said outer extrusion, the left braoe provided with a slot disposed to mate and engage rigidly with the projection on said L-shaped member on said cen-ter'legparallel to the side of the outer extrusion.

2. The structure of claim 1, further characterized in that the said slots in the brace members are disposed across the width of the brace members and that the left brace member is engaged by the side of the outer extrusion, the center leg of the outer extrusion, the side of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion, and .the second projection on the L-shaped member on the center leg of said out-er extrusion, and that the right brace member is engaged by the top of the outer extrusion, the center leg of the outer extrusion and the projection on said L-shaped member on sad center leg parallel to the side of the outer extrusion.

3. The structure of claim 1, further characterized in that the slots in the bnace members are disposed across the width of the brace members and that the left brace member is engaged by the side of the outer extrusion, the center leg of the outer extrusion, the side of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion, and the second projection on the L-shaped member on the center leg of said outer extrusion, a leftinsert member consisting of a U-shaped portion and a base is disposed in the slot of the left brace member, and that the right brace member is enmember disposed around the vertical projection of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion, and the base of the left insert member disposed parallel to and as an extension of the side of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion, said base being fastenedintegrally to the left bnace member, and that the right brace member is engaged by the top of the outer extrusion, the center leg of the outer extrusion and the projection on said L- shaped member on said center leg parallel to the side of the outer extrusion, and a right insert member consisting of a U-shaped portion and a base is disposed in the slot of the right brace member, the U-shaped portion of the right insert member disposed around the parallel projection of the L-shaped portion of the outer extrusion, and the base of the right insert member disposed parallel to and as an extension of the center leg of the outer extrusion, said base being fastened integrally to the right brace member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 261,103 Rose July 11, 1882 1,520,519 Thomason Dec. 23, 1924 2,217,914 McMahon Oct. '15, 1940 

1. A LEG AND BRACE ASSEMBLY CONSISTING OF AN INNER AND AN OUTER EXTRUSION MATING TOGETHER TO FORM THE LEG AND TWO BRACE MEMBERS, A LEFT AND A RIGHT, THE OUTER EXTRUSION BEING IN THE SHAPE OF AN F, HAVING A SIDE, A TOP AND A CENTER LEG IN CROSS-SECTION, THE CENTER LEG OF THE OUTER EXTRUSION BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INTEGRAL L-SHAPED MEMBER, A PROJECTION ON SAID L-SHAPED MEMBER ON SAID CENTER LEG PARALLEL TO THE SIDE OF THE OUTER EXTRUSION, A SECOND PROJECTION ON SAID L-SHAPED MEMBER ON SAID CENTER LEG VERTICAL TO THE SIDE OF THE OUTER EXTRUSION, THE INNER EXTRUSION BEING L-SHAPED IN CROSS-SECTION AND HAVING A BASE AND A SIDE, THE BASE OF THE INNER EXTRUSION DIS POSED VERTICAL TO THE TOP OF THE OUTER EXTRUSION, A PROJECTION ON SAID BASE OF THE INNER EXTRUSION SLIDABLY ENGAGING AND MATING WITH THE TOP OF THE OUTER EXTRUSION, THE SIDE OF THE INNER EXTRUSION DISPOSED VERTICAL TO THE SIDE OF THE OUTER EXTRUSION, A PROJECTION ON SAID SIDE OF THE INNER EXTRUSION SLIDABLY ENGAGING AND MATING WITH THE SIDE OF THE OUTER EXTRUSION, AN L-SHAPED PROJECTION INTEGRAL WITH THE SIDE OF THE INNER EXTRUSION PASSING AROUND AND ENGAGING WITH THE SECOND PROJECTION ON THE L-SHAPED MEMBER ON THE CENTER LEG OF SAID OUTER EXTRUSION, SAID INNER EXTRUSION BEING SHORTER THAN SAID OUTER EXTRUSION BY AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF THE BRACES, THE LEFT BRACE PROVIDED WITH A SLOT DISPOSED TO MATE AND ENGAGE RIGIDLY WITH THE SECOND PROJECTION ON THE L-SHAPED MEMBER ON THE CENTER LEG OF SAID OUTER EXTRUSION, THE LEFT BRACE PROVIDED WITH A SLOT DISPOSED TO MATE AND ENGAGE RIGIDLY WITH THE PROJECTION ON SAID L-SHAPED MEMBER ON SAID CENTER LEG PARALLEL TO THE SIDE OF THE OUTER EXTRUSION. 